and prepare our children for college. bye passing kids from the fourth grade to the tenth grade to catch kids before the fall too far behind. paying for and readers to take the pre-s.a.t.. and expanding access to advance low-income students. all of these are important and i'm willing to work with legislatures in both parties to get this passed. these reforms will help our children reach their goal. give them a better shot at success. more opportunities to live a better life than us. but increasing opportunities for our kids is more than just education. we have to make sure that there are jobs for them here in mexico when they graduate. last year i promised that we

would send a message that mexico was open for business. small businesses now know that the government is doing a better job of working to facilitate instead of impede job growth. we saw what can happen when we make ourselves competitive with surrounding states and last year i came before you to ask that we eliminate to go through all the locomotive fuels to level the playing field with texas. i promise if we did that union pacific would locate right here in mexico. we came together in a bipartisan manner and eliminated that tax. union pacific is now in mexico creating 3,000 jobs building their new facility. and over 600 permanent. [applause]

connectivity is now leaving el paso and moving by reading it to 200 jobs. a similar story with alaska structures which also moved operations here from el paso. later this week i will be continuing my work with governors from mexico to make our state not just texas a key trade corridor into the united states. [applause] there are tremendous optimism about the economic development in new mexico. but by what we are doing along the border. in fact a texas mexico newspaper has seen what we have done and they are worried so said in an editorial. texas worrying about mexico

stealing their jobs? my friends, the more they worry the better we are doing. we need to keep it that way. [applause] lowes announced its bringing jobs to albuquerque and we welcome them with open arms. [applause] i recently visited general mills which just finished a 100 million-dollar expansion creating 60 new and permanent jobs on all while achieving the highest levels of environmental standards. i said last year i believe we can support the growth of business and protect the environment. we are going to help those who play by the rules and punish those who don't. when intel needed an air quality permit we've ruled to be

compelled them to high standards and when they met as high standards we got them to permit in less than four months, quicker than ever before. [applause] but when the corporations broke the environmental law, when they tried to sidestep our safeguards , we went after them, collecting over $3.3 million, utility, energy and oil and gas companies. with sensible predictable regulation we can grow our economy and protect our environment. we can do both and we must do both. we have to do it all because we are competing with other states. unfortunately a recent study ranked mexico dead last in terms of our competitiveness. dead last. instead, we have one of the most

burdensome tax posts and all the country. i have long said government doesn't create jobs. doesn't. small businesses do. but government can and does create the environment to help small businesses grow. we can do so much to level the playing field for our small businesses. that's why am proposing that we examine roughly half of mexico's small businesses, those earning less than $50,000 per year from the receipt tax. [applause] that's roughly 40,000 of our small businesses. the little ones, the start-ups, this is a bottom-up approach.

many of mexico's successful businesses started at kitchen tables with not much more than the accounts and the families and a dream. we need to invest in a culture of all entrepreneur should so more of these family businesses can make. so we can grow and hire more mexicans. i am also proposing a tax credit for high-tech research and development to attract more high-paying jobs to the state. and this year it's time for us to stop the double and triple taxation that is troubling our construction and manufacturing industry to the [applause] this is often called pyramiding. a business to business tax that kills jobs and mexico. because of our tax system it's cheaper for the mexican companies to hire an out-of-state corporation for

services rather than to hire and in state firm. it makes no sense. only two other states and in the entire country impose taxes like this. and it's time for us to end it. [applause] and for the ultimate hero among us, i am proposing a 1 dollar tax credits for employers who hire veterans, returning home from deployment. [applause] these men and women should not fight forever freedom abroad only to be stuck on the unemployment line when they return home. we are joined today by major john miller as well as who is a

pilot in our international guard 23 years. most recently deployed to iraq and the staff sergeant at the national guard who spent all of 2011 deployed as a leader in the peacekeeping mission in kosovo. please stand. [applause] we thank you for your service. it is because of your fight that allows us to have differences and opinions and freedom of speech. we are so grateful for what our veterans have done and continue to do for us.

major miller and staff sergeant are making a career in the mondadori to eventually retire. these veterans and so many others who might see here today have given us freedom, and i am proposing that we allow retiring veterans to exempt 25% of the pension income from state taxes. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, we must agree they have earned it. [applause] another critical element to turning mexico around is rooting out corruption. we are making progress. but there is much more we can do. corruption tilts the playing field against honest people and shakes public confidence in

their government. that's why i signed an executive order that prohibits the state government from doing business with company involving corruption. it's why all of my appointees must disclose a financial interest online. and it's why my appointees are barred for the lobbying of state government for two years after serving in my administration. [applause] public service should be about serving the public, not sitting at a future date. that's why i am once again asking you to close the revolving door that term citizen legislatures and special-interest lobbyists. for one day they are serving the public and the next day they are using those connections to serve the special-interest. both parties were guilty of

this. it's wrong for democrats, and it's wrong for republicans. [applause] there are a few other common sense measures we can enact to help restore public confidence. when the public official is convicted of corruption, they should be forced to remove themselves from their position immediately. not ten days or 14 days later. [applause] when the politician violates the public trust they should lose their public pension and be barred from doing business with the state of new mexico. [applause] when the state was after a public official for corruption to give the taxpayers their money back to the taxpayers should not have to defend that person in court and pay for

those legal fees to the [applause] mexicans expect us to act on these reforms and to state loud and clear corruption in mexico will not stand. [applause] finally, keeping the mexican children and families safe should be a top priority. every time our legislature meets. just look around the little ones that are here in the audience today. like you i was horrified over the holidays to read about the tragic and inexcusable cases of child abuse. a child just a few weeks old badly beaten, sexually abused him and eventually left to die. small helpless little girl bruised and broken and left in

the bathtub. i've spent my life and career helping those who had no voice particularly children who had been the victims of senseless cruelty, violence and abuse. i'm asking you to join me in standing up for those who are unable to stand for themselves. i'm asking you to increase penalties for child abuse, those who abuse children should face severe mandatory penalties. [applause]

we must always put justice for victims first during every legislative session. the senator and i had the opportunity to meet with the family of michael snyder in albuquerque man who was murdered by his wife and then secretly buried in his home for eight years. michael's sisters terrie and laura as well as his mother are here today. [applause] michael's wife said he had simply gone missing, simply had left and sadly her secret was cut long enough that the statute of limitations had run out. so this killer would serve only a few years for a murder that could have kept her behind bars for the rest of her life.

that isn't right. and we are going to change of law and fight to ensure that no one is able to murder someone in our state and get off easy or get away with it completely by simply letting the clock run out. that is wrong. i am confident we can work together to solve our public safety needs. democrats, republicans and indy 500 we can do it. [laughter] [applause] strengthening mcginn squall to ensure sex offenders cannot live in secret in our neighborhoods, allowing the import alert to be issued when relatives abduct a child and put them in harm's way, and yet ending the practice of providing drivers licenses to

illegal immigrants as well. [applause] just last week a man pled guilty to trafficking humans from pakistan and elsewhere through new york and into our state. a touch and go. to grab our license, to grab our government issued id card and leave. where? who knows. for what purpose? who knows. over and over, the same story, the fraud, the trafficking, the security threats. i want to thank independent representative for sponsoring the bill to repeal this lawyer. thank you. [applause]

and i want to thank the democratic house judiciary committee chairman for working with us last session to cut through and tone down their rhetoric and to develop a compromise. [applause] a bill that doesn't get a driver's license to be illegal immigrants, but does allow foreign nationals who are here legally on a work or student visa to get that driver's license that was a good compromise and cleared the house last year with five partisan supports. this issue has been debated thoroughly. the desire of mexicans is clear and it's time to vote to repeal

law. [applause] i'm also asking a little later to work with me to crack down on repeat drunk drivers. a vehicle in the hands of the repeat drunk driver is a deadly weapon. it's a deadly weapon that we should confiscate. it just like they did in the city of albuquerque we should seize the vehicles of repeat drunken drivers and for those who rack up four, five or six or more dwis who don't get the message it is time to in prison more mandatory prison sentences that gets them off the streets and away from our families. [applause] controversy all issues like these always posture of heated debates and that is okay. because we have proven that

through tough debates we can find common ground. without compromising our principles to read all sorts of issues. we did last year to protect classroom spending we did on school grading and on bill law and to close the loopholes to allow the of six corporations to gain the system. we did it together. we should all be proud of these successes but not for us. because of what it means to others. i am reminded of a quote that hangs on my wall today. it motivates me to work for all of the things we discussed. it reads 100 years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house i lived in or the kind of car that drove. the world may be different because i was important in the

life of a child. mexico turned 100 this year. think of where we have been as a state. how far we've come, and 100 years from now, imagine what our state will be and accept the responsibility that we all share to shape the future to provide an even greater state for the children and grandchildren of new mexico. i believe there is good reason to be optimistic. new mexicans always rise to the challenge. i would be remiss not to recall how families, friends and neighbors took care of one another and many battle of record cold temperatures without heat last winter. and the record breaking wildfires that we face over the summer. i was humbled and honored to watch the mexico adel fees'

blazes with police, grace and determination. i would like to have knme team and police chief wayne torpy please stand. [applause] we became close friends through the community trusted youth that rely on your briefings and on the men and women a new training to handle the crisis of that magnitude. gentlemen, you made mexico proud. thank you. [applause]

today i believe that in front of us is an opportunity to make tomorrow better than today. to create the mexico that reflects our values, a place for those who play by the rules succeed and those who don't are brought to justice. a place for those that have risked their lives to protect our freedom return home to find a that is protected their jobs. a place where small businesses grow and other companies choose to locate. a place where every new mexico child is taught to chase his or her dream when they struggle where they learn to overcome challenges, but never, ever accept failure. it is up to us to seize this moment, to face our challenges

and why is once again to the occasion. mexico's's best days are ahead of us. i believe that. i know you believe that. and together, we will ensure our children live that. thank you all, god bless you, god bless me mexico and all of the work ahead of us. [applause] now exceed of stricter of the national gay and lesbian task force cox of the state of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement. she also got a political and social issues facing the group. her remarks were made at the national conference on lgbt ecology. this is about one hour and 15

minutes. ♪ greetings. as we gather here today and meet new people and new friends, we know that we gather here because someone left us, we know that we gather here because someone cared for us and we gather here because someone paved the way. i have been asked to help you come to god you come to call to mind those that have gone before in your personal life, the ancestors of the hour communities, our own personal ancestors, and those who have paved the way for us to be here, particularly those in our communities and in our space have been taken by violence, who have been taken by homophobia

trans phobia or taken by sexism and racism. we remember those names and we loved those and with the love in our hearts and in our mind and our spirits, we call to them and say we remember you. we remember you. we remember you. with the power by god, the power by words we say thank you, eternal gratitude and we send our love. thank you. [applause] please call them back to the stage kate clinton.

[applause] >> welcome. are we having a good time? [cheering] i know i am. we have an exciting day planned for you and i just have some housekeeping to do before we start. raise your hand if you have a seat near you so people can come in to my right but luckily to your left there are plenty of seats over there if you want to fill them in and living free is what we're talking about now and it's a way to support people allergies or chronic illness, and that the products you use. most of you who have access to fragrance free alternatives, so please consider using those and if you use a scented product, please sit or stand as far away as possible from areas designated to scent saver including the plenary space to

get flash free space with plenary simulcast can be found in that t. ball room 12. remember, no one sitting next to you will see ways that that you are wearing, what is this and that you are wearing passive aggressive. laughter of the elder disabilities wheat is in 1567, and it is also sent free -- scent free. their seating available, my right, you're left, please come in. once again, find somebody around you who you don't know and introduce yourself. come on. [laughter] [inaudible conversations]

welcome, welcome back. welcome back. welcome back. all right. we have a big program planned. plenary session today. lots of things going on. we have a wonderful plenary session last night. we have a wonderful award given, then we had the crew was in the back that went very well and then goes off to occupy.

unbelievable. today we have more workshops in the afternoon and the plenary today is the state of our day union, and i love creating change. i absolutely love it. i always learn a lot and it seems like every day it is a teachable moment, and i certainly had one last night when my outside voice said ef-5 but my inside a voice said what the fuck. [laughter] ayittey 64-year-old lesbian. yes. [laughter] i'm still old i'm still happy to use the word lesbian. so my language is in transition. so no excuses. i would like to apologize to my transgender friends and to my comrades. and if you are tweeting now and

i know you are, it is #kateappologizes tebeau thank you. [applause] and i apologize because i honor the work of transgender activists. i think one of the most stunning books that i have read in a long time is clearly a blueprint for our lgbt movement and is written by the transgender activist, a stunning book. [applause] and also honor the an incredible work of the act that has always supported transgendered inclusion, and i don't want to take away from that at all. years ago to carry little executive director said it was not endorsed without trans gender inclusion. [applause] ..

you like beautiful. thank you for being here. this is our big bad an awesome conference and we are just getting started. that was incredible.

[applause] ban is a true friend to the task for us and we will be a true friend to him and the naacp. and to john by arendt kummer us the power of image and a power of art and social change. thank you, joe. [applause] i'd like to give a special welcome to my friends and familycome apart at the benefit of doing creating change in baltimore gathered to welcome my friends and family come including a straight runs today to support man the task force. [applause] so, as i was preparing for creating change this year, my daughter and i became obsessed by singing along to the brilliant use of the wicked. [cheers and applause] specifically the song, defying

gravity. anakin is a desperation. not by singing, but the song. i have no president obama when it comes to singing. and yes i know it's a particularly gay was on my part as information for my remarks, does revealing my gender as a gay man. [laughter] [applause] indeed, proud of it. and yes, we do have a conference session for that. we also the conference session for newt gingrich and his open marriage. for those of you here thinking how come you can put a mark for that. but i digress. so as the song, defying gravity starts in the musical, the people of oz shout to the wicked witch evil, is wicked, to be feared and driven away.

and in her questioning the status quo for those odds holds to be true and standing up for others, also gives voice to challenging limitations. to not playing the game, to doing something extraordinary, and may she fly. the fueling of defying gravity is one that i reassess that in some way is familiar to many of us in this room. to work against the forces that drag us down as human beings, the poll is down and when it asked as a movement, that portray us as some and we are not. yes, lgbt people have been called a repulsion, a hearty society. we have been called wicked. the fact that we have made it this far, surviving childhood

haunt, the neglect of churches and schools, the laws and policies of a country that treated us as criminals, this is already a testament to our ability to defy gravity. [applause] individually and more often together, we were to achieve a man he couldn't invasion. we have done what some thought impossible, but we know it's inevitable. [applause] so here we are together again creating change, showing strategies and overcoming challenges that face us, learning from each other how to defy gravity. i know that many of you sacrificed a lot to be here. you had to save a come and take

a bus can squeeze a bunch of people in a van to get here. during one of our nation's most challenging economic times, we have our biggest creating change ever. [cheers and applause] thank you. thank you for whatever you have to do to see here with us, creating change would not be the same without you. in fact, it would not be possible without you. some days it feels like we are making progress, but we have come a long way since the stonewall rebellion in 1969. in fact, the pace of our progress in pursuit of justice has accelerated in the last few years because of your work and not, by the way, just because

the last of my high school crushes, christie nick nichols finally came up. [laughter] after being her partner for 20 years, i'm just waiting on my list will be complete. 2012 will be an important year because of a cent because of what we will achieve together. because we have this room and those who can't be with us, that share our vision, will work for a transform society in which no one feels they must hide who they are or who they love, not for 20 years, not for even one day. [applause] in this past year alone, in this pastor a lot and i couldn't even get everything down the tent together as a movement, but with our work together, we pass

statewide nondiscrimination laws in connecticut, nevada, hawaii and massachusetts. [cheers and applause] repast birth certificate allows eliminating surgical standards for people in california and vermont. [cheers and applause] we defeated the anti-transit bill in maine that would have allowed discrimination against people in segregated spaces. [cheers and applause] bullying prevention policies that specifically protect lgbt are now in an unexpected places including dallas texas, jackson mississippi, oklahoma city and the entire state of arkansas. [cheers and applause]

and we've finally, finally brought an end to "don't ask, don't tell." [cheers and applause] and you know, remarkably gps of having trained to come people serve in the service, it didn't sink or should. and i didn't think the marriages of her federal crew men. and remember her ship docked in virginia. just saying. the armed services still stands. this year, our task force organizers held three feet on the anti-activists how to build a bigger team for nondiscrimination law that will be on the ballot this spring in anchorage alaska.

we trained activists and mobilize voters he end up the thread to traverse city michigan, a lgbt inclusive nondiscrimination law we want. [cheers and applause] here in maryland, a statewide bill was introduced on this monday, governor martin o'malley formally introduced the civil marriage protection act, which would extend marriage to same-sex mac couples. congratulations, maryland. [cheers and applause] and 24, 26 hours ago after two years of public education, field organizing and the signature gathering and just plain old knocking on doors of your

neighbors on 100,000 doors, advocates and defenders in my marriage matters delivered over 105,000 signatures to the state house yesterday, announcing they will make maine the very first state to go to the ballot box with a pro-good measure to pursue marriage equality. [cheers and applause] and they actually drove back to portland, hopped on the plane contained here to create change. we at the task force are honored to have hoped in many of the safford centro virtual colleagues in the statewide equality organization. and speaking of relationships, hawaii, illinois, rhode island and delaware now have civil unions in place.

[applause] and it is now legal to get married in the state of measure. [applause] congratulations to that exists in all of the states and all the activist minister who have worked so hard to make these and other games. we also made progress in other states where task force staff engaged in a broad range of issues affecting lgbt people and their families. in mississippi, we join our women's health and justice allies to defeat the anti-choice person had measures. [cheers and applause] in california, the aclu of southern california gathered signatures for a future campaign to abolish the states that

penalty disproportionately affecting people of color. [applause] and in maine, we help the back many of the recent attacks on the very right to vote in this country. if we'd lost the boat we would ease the marriage of many progressive measures anytime soon. well done, name. [applause] and federal progress has been made as well. despite a congress that has been proven resistant to end the lgbt specific legislation, our work to build alliances or strategic thinking and our mobilization has led to progress. late getting lgbt explicitly included in house equity and accountability act. also in the, housing opportunities made equal than for the very first time historically in the violence

against women sat, our lives are included. [cheers and applause] these are built better not train for specific, but with our hard work and becoming -- excuse me, with our hard for comment ease all-inclusive and have the potential to affect the economic security and quality of life for hundreds of thousands of lgbt people and their families. i know 300 of you participated in our first-ever creating change lobby day. i sigh you are coming off the buses. it was amazing. not quite sure if the senate will ever be the same. fabulous. i got some amazing hairstyles. but i also heard stories that members of congress need to hear and i appreciate those of you who went and shared them.

[applause] but we are not stopping with just lgbt inclusions and bills. we are after concrete changes that make our lives better. the task force's new beginnings initiative, a coalition of 26 organizations has been working diligently to improve the lives of lgbt people and our families and tangible, meaningful ways by changing federal policies. and together, as a community we have post and let the obama administration, we have improved lives. [cheers and applause] when the executive branch -- with the executive branch of the u.s. federal government issues guidelines to assist lgbt refugees and department of justice for the first time, we consider lgbt family is to be families. we made life better.

[applause] with the department of veterans affairs issues a national direct to two out of this house facilities regarding the appropriate and respectful care of veterans, we made life better. [applause] when lgbt families can no longer be turned away from public housing or a home loan, we've made life better. [cheers and applause] and when we -- when we get to say who our families are so we can be by each other's side when we are sick or hurt in a hospital, we made life better. that became the caves in over 90% of hospitals in this

country, cornell's hospital in tennessee and washington advantage hospital down the road. and both these hospitals when they turned away partners and then were reminded of the federal rules, they had to apologize to the families and train their staff. this rule has chiefs and hospitals being held accountable. [applause] gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights. to lgbt men and women worldwide, wherever you live and whatever your circumstances, please know that you are not allowed. we most definitely made life better. and thank you, secretary of state hillary clinton. [cheers and applause]

thank you, secretary clinton. plus there's been a presidential memorandum, so there might need money in the table for some of these countries. the truth is -- the truth is we can appreciate both the progress that we've made them feel frustrated by the incomplete and sometimes slow pace of change. there is still much work ahead. we know to treat an old adage that when the people lead creating change in family will be called upon to lead a lap. we will have to play at the offense this year with marriage and play in maryland and

washington, new jersey, maine, minnesota and north carolina. we will be called to the. [applause] in states across the country, we must press forward on securing protections for people who experienced discrimination because of their gender identity, including michigan, new york and right here in maryland we will be called to the. [cheers and applause] in some states like oregon, hard for strategic and decisions have been made to not push for marriage until the time is right to use their movements resources well and to win. they have expressed leadership in doing so. [cheers and applause] many have been called to lead on

immigration reform, making schools safe, fighting anti-affirmative measures are not economic justice and rights. i know it all in all these places, but what i do know is that we are strong and determined and with perseverance like ours we cannot be denied for a long. we cannot stop until the abusive trains gender and the current we cannot stop. we cannot stop until i brothers and sisters who can now serve openly in the military can share their benefits with their spouses anatole people can choose to search. [applause]

if after 30 years of age we know more about prevention, we know more about treatment than ever before. but infection rates for a train three and bisexual men are raising more funds and services are decreasing. [applause] progress for some it's not until we are all fully free. [applause] they are just beginning for us, challenges of their movements before us have seen. one challenges we have 31.

90% of voters already believe we have federal employment protections. and if that includes lgbt people who wind up surprised when they are fired from their job and they have no recourse. over the last 20 years, we have been so successful as a movement to winning and playing a question from cities and states across the country and now over 52% of people in any jurisdiction where 44% of any jurisdiction that gender identity protections and many more live and work in a place where they have protection through labor contracts in corporate employment policy. what about lgbt people who live in states without employment protections or work for companies that don't include us in our policies? 90% of voters think there's 30 federal employment protection.

which makes a bit of a challenge to fight for one. except we don't. we don't have a law again. in order to defy gravity, to not stall out, we must make clear to decision-makers, our friends and families that many lesbian, trent three and people go to work every day terrified. terrified that someone will find out who they are or who they love and we need a federal law to protect them. [applause] and their second challenge, well, marriage.

marriage process between the rock of limited hard-won and celebrated excesses. and the high place among most singular media attention. now that we eliminated on astor hotel, many now believe that our movement, all of us in our movement across our country that our movement is about one thing and one thing only, and manage. let's talk about marriage. the richness of our family and how we create them, whether we choose to get married or not when our families are ignored when our families are ignored when our families are ignored when our families are ignored of marriage's weekend, not strengthened. when i last i denied, the institution of marriage's

weekend. and we won't stop fighting until the choice to get married is the law of the land for everyone who wants it. but that is not how we are fighting for. the lgbt movement is not a movement for marriage only. we are a movement for the full dignity of an iceberg transform society. when lgbt and administering it in media or seen by others as a single issue marriage only it

creates a lot of excitement and energy and direct much-needed funding towards our movement for work on marriage. marriage has motivated our allies and captured the attention of people who were never paying attention before. we saw this in 2008. someday when we succeed in nationwide recognition of our marriages, and we will, we will likely see that the engagement in our movement drops off. there has been a significant drop in donations, tension and engagement. some have even had to lay off staff while struggling to get attention for the other very pressing issues facing our community. we have learned that with the wind we usually have to turn right around and defend the

wind. we also know people who want included remain vulnerable to discrimination. we've seen this dynamic before another movement. considering the balloons movement in roe v. wade, almost 40 years after the supreme court decision declaring a woman's decision are hers to make, women and men still must fight every day to stop the erosion of reproductive health services for women. the lesson here is we must continue to build support for a chance with airport decisions or legislative victories. it added to the women's movement being seen as a single issue move and portion. over the last 40 years that it's been a challenge to get equal pay for equal work, to create appropriate and affordable child care in this country, to get

full equality for women. think about it. if we can all choose to get married anywhere we wanted to without limitation, if marriage in one state was recognized as marriage at ball state, what our aspirations be fulfilled? [inaudible] all right. [laughter] [applause] would society be transformed so that all of us, every single one of us live in dignity and with full respect cradle-to-grave? of course not. as a task force, we say we are more. at the task force, we say we want more than marriage. there is no singular solution to the many ways we experience discrimination, violence and to

betray. and social security and any systemic racism and sexism are lgbt issues. [cheers and applause] don't get me wrong. i will fight like for marriage equality and i'm proud to be married to margaret. [applause] and, within the existing structure of how benefits are provided in this country, if we don't overturn the so-called defense of marriage act and secure marriage across the

country, we will hit a brick wall and the changes we seek for lgbt people and families in our immigration policy and social security benefits and the very economic underpinnings that give us security. we must overturn the oma. [applause] so when this political moment, while our movement is six. being intensely focused attention on us because of marriage, we must take advantage of this moment by pushing to make visible the fullest scope of the social change we seek. we in the lgbt movement must decide the gravitational pull that frames the hours is a single issue movements.

[applause] but i know we can overcome these challenges with work i've seen us to before. we do not do so on time at the task force and we know from experience that they would remain say when only we sustain it and build on it and stay fully engaged. in 2012, we will require lots of political engagement. the sheer number of pieces of state legislation and ballot measures that will affect the lives of lgbt people is staggering, staggering. and withal by: dave work, we can make progress. our work on these measures is important. but there is one issue that we must all pay attention to this year. our opposition, those who do not believe in our full humanity or quality are on the attack.

but mobilizing the right-wing base to come out and vote on marriage isn't actually their trump card anymore. it is much deeper than that. it is the variability to cast a vote. [applause] they are aware by focusing on something that our movement could easily mistake is not our issue. believe me, it is our issue when we and our allies find ourselves without access to the polls. 2012 promises to be a harder playing field more than 2011 because the entire political playing field is under threat. there is a systematic effort in states across this country to take away the vote from people

of color, from students, the working poor and unemployed, people who lost their homes coming young voters, people with disabilities and the elderly. a plan to cut out the base of progressive voters from the process. this massive voter suppression is also having a devastating effect on the ability of people to vote. we are talking about executive orders and 14 states and 20 new life will make it harder for 5 million people to vote in 2012. they shared heartbreaking and infuriating stories. it is one of the last desperate ploys by those who can no longer compete with the power of their

ideas. voter suppression was both break out of jim crow playbook, are part of a series of strategies to take away the voting rights of millions and keep this nation's decision-making power in the hands of the few. having lost ground on lgbt and racial justice and equality over the last 40 years of not having enough respect for a democracy to accept it, the rate is now doing all it can to complicate the ruled to register, vote early, you name it. they will do it as long as they disenfranchise those certain types of people. and so, we are called to lead and to protect access to voting. this is in our self-interest and in the interest of standing with our allies. we are people of color. we are too dense. we are and we want to though.

[cheers and applause] many of these costs have been implemented on the ballots in the south. don't get me started. over two dozen ballot measures will be in play and the next two years, including in michigan, new jersey, maine, minnesota, north carolina. sound familiar? michigan, new jersey, maine, minnesota, north carolina. if we do not protect the right

to vote, we will not win on immigration. we will not win on nondiscrimination. we will not win on affirmative action and we will not win on marriage. we must register voters. we must get the voters the right to keep from the polls. and this coming election, we stand for ourselves by also standing for and with others. we stand for ourselves by occupying the voting booth. [cheers and applause] we have come to vote is an act of resistance in also enacted insistence. all potential voters have a

voice. [applause] as people who know more than our fair share about mistreatment, inequality and unfairness, this is our faith. so in this room of the best grassroots activists i know, i say occupy the vote. take others to the polls if you can't vote yes, that speak out against voter suppression. and if you get to the ballot box in your turned away for any reason, i want you to task the provisional ballot to document your story, posted on facebook and contact the civil rights division of the u.s. department of justice. let people know this is happening. [cheers and applause] in this act of insistence we

have partnered with rock the vote instead of the voter registration registration right to your in the exhibit hall. and you can text vote (212)269-8662 pledge to vote and get more information about voter registration. [applause] i see we have some voters here. next are the task force will turn 40 years old. [cheers and applause] 's 1973, task force has been building power, taking action and creating change. we have been defying gravity. when you become an organization it makes you think just as we open our doors, we must be

fearless and driven by innovation and the power to envision what some think impossible. 40 years ago i can't wait to see and that is what this is all about. developing a strategy to rent. bringing people together to push the boundaries of what is possible and service all forward. what does defying gravity look like? defying gravity means creating phase are breaking new ground for others. on a pro-choice campaign. it looks like an immigrant who is hiv-positive, telling his

story detention and mistreatment of risking deportation because people held in immigration custody deserve dignity, respect and access to medication. [cheers and applause] i've been all about you, but i'm buying a box of thin mints. buy some cookies. defying gravity looks like a trance high school student holding her head i as she walks through the hallways with pride and confidence in her fabulous selves no matter what others

think or say. [applause] negative consequences is seeking deep. to tap into our own strength, to resist that, which is hands to bring us down. it looks like the ideas in the innovation and the passion in this room. [applause] this is our time to defy gravity and create change. i can't wait to see what comes out of this weekend. thank you and have a fantastic conference. [applause]

♪ ♪ >> everywhere, we are everywhere. we are everywhere and we want every thing. we are everywhere. >> we are everywhere. and what we want? >> everything. >> already. [cheers and applause]

the only thing that was missing was michelle obama in a blue dress. we devastated the union bingo winner. and bid prices are involved. anyway, my goodness unto mordecai planning session. i want to introduce you to michael adams who is a director -- executive director of sage, services and advocates -- services that could see fortran lgbt others. sage is the oldest and largest organization in the country dedicated to transforming the lgbt teaching experience. they serve an advocate -- i meant to do this prayer. i did. [laughter]

let's start that again. sage serves an advocate for its lgbt older people out of the country. in 2009, the u.s. department of health and human services select a sage to establish and run the country's first and only national resource center on lgbt aging. in all this makes michael the perfect person to give our next award, this asian advocacy award for excellence in leadership and aging issues to kathy greenlee, assistant secretary of aging at the u.s. department of health and human services. please welcome, michael adams. [applause] >> thank you. it's great to be here. looking out over a beautiful

room of transfer activists come i'm also looking at a beautiful person, a beautiful woman. her name is ed wednesday. some of you may know td. bd has been stepping out of safe fabulous lesbian since the 1960s when she met her beloved partner. they lived the most extraordinary life together for a decade and we know in many ways, but one of the ways we know her now is that at the right beautiful age of 82 years old, nacl you love sushi is fighting the government for the recognition of the lawsuit. [cheers and applause]

for many years, sage task or seminar lgbt aging partners across the country posed for the federal government to take action to address the particular challenges faced by lgbt older people. those pioneers who paved the way for each and everyone of us in activism i do. this advocacy was central to our because the federal government is the largest funder of community-based aging services and says the tone for asian policy at all levels of government. year after year, our efforts to get the federal government to pay attention would know where. then along came kathy greenlee, who was appointed assistant secretary for aging that president obama in early 2009. what a difference a leader makes.

[cheers and applause] especially the later is determined to level the playing field for the most vulnerable and marginalized other communities, including lgbt alders get the attention they deserve. that is the kind of leader that kathy greenlee is. from the earliest days that are her senate confirmation back in the days when the senate actually confirmed obama appointees, assistant secretary greenlee to open her doors for conversations and meetings not only with lgbt aging leaders, but also leaders in the african-american and latino, api, indian country and other diverse other communities who have been effectively frozen out a meaningful conversations with the administration on aging for years.

the aging who talk the talk. but we soon found out that assistant secretary greenlee was also prepared to walk the walk. in october 2009, less than a year after assistant secretary greenlee took charge, the assistant aging awarded an historic first of its kind community innovation grants to dramatically extended services to lgbt older people. soon after that, kathy greenlee played a leading role in the administration on aging decision to fund the creation of the country's first and only national resource center on lgbt aging. but by sage in collaboration with 10 partners around the country, the national resource center is founded on the premise that lgbt older people have

unique needs and that the federal government has a responsibility to help meet those needs. the assistant secretary greenlee has been a tiebreaker for lgbt out there should not come as any surprise. in fact, she has been a leader for causes since the earliest days in kansas. the director of the kansas coalition. against and domestic violence and as the cochair of the pioneering lgbt group, quality canvas. [cheers and applause] she's not tireless advocate for older people serving as secretary of aging and long-term care for the state of kansas. lgbt alders with decades of sweat and wide and sacrifice have earned the right to an

advocate in the federal government and now finally they have one. nobody is more deserving of this year's sage award for excellence in leadership on aging and kathy greenlee. please join me in welcoming assistant secretary on aging, kathy greenlee. ♪ >> if they stay afterwards, kinley dance classics i thought i'd dressed up in a suit, but i should've worn lavender. it's really a tremendous honor to be with you today and i would

just like to acknowledge michael and sage. thank you for this tremendous award. this means a lot to me both professionally and personally. i was thinking in many ways i feel like i have a right to your right on time in 30 years too late. i want to describe both. i am very honored to serve as the u.s. assistant secretary for aging. i'm honored to serve in the health and human services with kathleen sebelius, the women i've worked with for almost 17 years and i have aaa honor to serve in the obama administration and be one of the open money gay, lesbian, appointees. i am not the only one. and before i even begin my job, these lights are incredibly dining, someone someone out

there is brian vaughn. i was doing lgbt at the white house before we make for insurance engage in a minor shape. and we have had support from the white house from the beginning. it's been almost two years ago the department of human health and human services has established issues and i've been proud to be one of the cochairs and the whole two years. last week last week we had our monthly meeting and calvin wrought upon who will be here at some point during the conference joined us and we had quite a substantive agenda to go through, but galvin says. he knows that we've been doing and comprehensive engagement we have. he was impressed on our rollcall. and to think about the department of health and human services. and when we say we have every agency involved what that means.

the national institutes of health and the food and drug administration. the centers for medicare and medicaid, centers for disease control, substance abuse and mental health services administration. the administration on aging. we have representation at hhs for every single agency in the department. and they touch every life in america. we are honored to represent and are pleased to talk about and we have been able to work forward with lgbt use that i was pleased to see the secretary and it gets better. we were able to help seniors as michael todd. we have done curriculum for mental health services and health resources because they have incredibly broad scope

reach two of care providers and we're training health care providers all of the country both in the federally qualified health clinics and providers of health care sensitivity. we attacked the accuracy community about the significance of data, the number one issue that our community to help us document that exists. we have tremendous support with the national institute of health. the list goes on and on. when the president issued his memorandum two years ago that for that hospital visitation, derek three sections. was on visitation, one paragraph on offense residence and the third paragraph went back and basically says secretary sebelius, what else can we do? and we've taken that to her. the presidents request that we produce. in response to back him a year ago in a row we publish a list as responded to the president.

here are our ideas for 2011 and we are systematically tackling every command will you make our community, to hhs into the white house and we are now gathering the list for 2012. our work continues and we believe we are one of the most successful collaborative efforts within the federal government as we have been able to move forward and work on our issues. and the other thing that i just want to convey how wonderful it is to do this work is the allies that we have at the table. dr. helena had at nih and dr. burke that had a cms speak publicly in our status meetings about their commitment to this work things out for her community. and we also are sophisticated enough in this work that we actually understand the differences between the outcome of the, gmt pay attention to those policies. another developer it is for next year and engage with the

community, we look through that lens. we have to have something for the community. we have something that covers bisexual communities. trant three and lesbian are different. we know that. so my last power. we are approaching other communities, so i'm very pleased to be here. i'm 51 years old and i've been out now for 31 hands. [cheers and applause] all of us who are 50 and older, those of us have been out so long, doing research for so long as they don't get to retire from this advocacy work. because the issues of lgbt are significant.

they are the generation afraid of us who you personally. they are the people who mentored us. i knew no one when i was 20 was older than nice tofu was gay or lesbian. and it was a by other states you showed me the way. i didn't know about politics until his gay friend of mine who is already senior taught me in the 90s. these are the pioneers and they need as as we find a way to deliver services to them as they age. but they are also less. we cannot retire. one of the best opportunities i've had a secretary is when i went to the los angeles resource center. another here in the audience and met with the old lesbian, that's my favorite part of the trip to california, dissent to the old lesbian. and you know what the old lesbian need? they need to refinance when the partners died. they need long-term care

services. the list goes on and on. and if you are it gets very complicated and we need to tackle those issues. so in many ways, i directed a wonderful time in washington, working a tremendously talented people who are committed to the work i've been with you i've done this for is a candidate in the middle of nowhere, working to repeal the law. i worked on civil ordinances in our community. i've been doing this where you can to me first and the stage and the opportunity to do our work on behalf of the president and this administration to tell you we have more to do.

and i cannot in 1980, i didn't know how i would support myself in my 30s i decided i had to be myself. i came out of work well before i began working for kathleen sebelius. and this is why they decided. i had a law degree. i could feed myself. i was privileged in many ways. i will be out of work and i'll see how far it takes me. i never in my wildest dreams believed it would take me to washington as a senate confirmed person by the president of the united states. we've done many things and 31 years. we have much more to do. i am very proud to see this all enviable to celebrate with you our successes as a movement and challenges ahead. thank you so much.

[applause] >> thank you for being here. this is our dependent on some conference and where just getting started. and how about french class name? i was incredible, incredible. then as a true friend to the task for us and we will be true friend to hand and the naacp. ..

as inspiration for my remarks, thus revealing my gender queerness as a gay man and proud of it. [laughter] and yes we do have a conference session to that. we also have a conference session for newt gingrich and

his open marriage. [laughter] for those of you playing been go you can put a mark for that. [laughter] so, as the song define gravity starts in the musical the people of oz shot at the wicked witch is evil is wicked to be seared and driven away. in questioning the status quo was those held to be true standing up for others. also that gives voice to challenging limitations to not play the game, to doing something extraordinary and she flies. the feeling of defined gravity is one that i suspect in some way familiar to many of us in this room to the forces that

drive us down as human beings that pulls down and let us as a movement that portray us as something we are not. yes, lgbt people have been called a repulsion, harm to society we have been called wicked. the fact that we have made it this far, the neglect of churches and schools, the law of the policy in the country that has treated us as criminals, this is already a testament to our ability to define gravity. individually -- [applause] individually and more often together we have worked to achieve what many couldn't envision.

we've done what some thought were impossible, but we know is inevitable. [applause] so here we are together again creating change, sharing the strategies of overcoming this dillinger is that face us learning from each other how to defy gravity. i know some of you sacrificed a lot to be here. you had to sit up, take a bus, squeeze a bunch of people in a van to get here. it says everything that during one of our nation's most challenging economic times, we have our biggest creating a change ever. [cheering] thank you. thank you for what ever you had to do to be here with us, creating change wouldn't be the same without you. in fact it wouldn't be possible

without you. some days it feels like we aren't making progress. but we have come a long way since the stonewall rebellion in 1869. in fact, the pace of our progress and pursuit of justice has accelerated in the last few years because of your work, and not by the way christi finally came on. [applause] after being with her partner for 20 years i'm just waiting for this to come out and my list will be complete. 2,012th will be an important year because of us and because of what we will achieve together because we in this room and those who can't be with us but share a vision will work for a transformed society and which no

one feels they must hide who they are or who they love not for 20 years cannot for even one day. [applause] in this past year alone, and this past year alone, and i couldn't even get everything down that we've done together as a movement, but with our work together we passed statewide transgender nondiscrimination law in connecticut, nevada, hawaii, and massachusetts. [applause] we path birth certificate laws eliminating surgical standards for transgendered people in california and vermont. [applause] we defeated the antitransgendered bill in maine that would've allowed discrimination against people and sex segregated basis.

bullying prevention policies that specifically protect lgbt you are now in unexpected places and putting dallas texas, jackson mississippi, oklahoma and the entire state of arkansas [applause] and we finally brought an end to "don't ask, don't tell." [cheering] and you know, remarkably despite the right wing about having a lesbian, gay, bisexual people serve in the military, when the officer second class nurse i gates gave her partner in much-publicized and hot kiss. but just saying it didn't sink

her ship or the marriages of her fellow crewmen. and remember her ship docked in virginia. the armed services still stand. this year our task force organizers helped raise money and taught activists how to build a bigger team for a non-discriminated lgbt law vv on the ballot this spring in anchorage alaska. [cheering] we train activists and mobilized voters to send off a threat to travis eddy michigan existing lgbt inputs the nondiscrimination law. we've one. [applause] here in maryland, a statewide gender identity anti-discrimination bill was introduced and this monday the governor martin o'malley introduced the civil marriage protection act which would extend marriage to six to the to

same-sex couples. congratulations, maryland. [applause] and just 24, 26 hours ago after two years of public education, field organizing, signature gathering and just plain old knocking on doors of your neighbors on more than $100,000, ecology made a gay and lesbian advocates and defenders and white marriage matters coalition delivered over 105,000 signatures to the state house yesterday announcing they will make maine the very first state to go after, to go to the ballot box with a protective measure to pursue marriage equality. [applause] welcome.

they came here to creating change. welcome. [applause] we have the task force are honored to have helped in many of these efforts in the colleagues in the cyclical the organization. and speaking of relationships, hawaii, illinois, rhode island and delaware now have a civil unions in place. [applause] and and it is now legal to get married in the state of new york. [applause] congratulations to the activists in all these states and all of the activism in the room who have worked so hard to make these and other games. we also made progress and many states where our task force staff engaged in the broad range of issues affecting lgbt people

and their families. in mississippi we join our women's health and reproductive justice allies to defeat the anti-choice personhood measure. [applause] in california we've partnered with of the aclu of southern california to get the signatures for a future campaign to abolish the state's death penalty affecting people of color. [cheering] and ayaan meen we helped beat back one of the many recent attacks on the very right to vote in this country. if we had lost that vote we wouldn't be seeing marriage or other measures any time soon. well done. [applause] and several progress has been made as well. despite the converse that has been proven resistant to any

lgbt specific legislation, our work to build alliances or strategic thinking and our mobilization has led progress. like getting lgbt people explicitly included in the house equity and accountability act, also in the home of bill housing opportunities mean equal and for the very first time historically in the violence against women act cut our lives are included. [cheering] these are bills that are not lgbt specific but with our hard work and becoming -- with our hard work these bills are becoming lgbt inclusive and have the potential to affect the economic security and quality-of-life for hundreds of thousands of lgbt people and their families. i know that about 300 of you

participated in the first-ever create change will be day. [applause] amazing. not quite sure if the senate will ever be the same. it's fabulous. i saw some amazing hair styles. but i also heard stories that members of congress need to hear, and i appreciate those of you that went and cheered them. [applause] but we are not stopping with just lgbt inclusion in bills. we are after concrete changes that make our lives better. the task force in the new beginnings initiative, the coalition of 26 organizations has been working diligently to improve the lives of lgbt people and our families in a tangible, meaningful way is by changing federal policies. and together, as a community we have pushed, and with the obama

administration we have improved lives. [applause] when it in the executive branch in the u.s. federal government issues guidelines to assist lgbt refugees and asylum seekers and the department of justice states for the first time, quote, we consider lgbt families to the families, we made life better. [applause] when the department of veterans affairs issues a national directive to all of its health facilities regarding the appropriate and respectful care of the veterans, we made life better. [applause] win lgbt families can no longer be turned away from public housing or the home loan, we made life better. [applause]

and when we get to say to our families or so we can be bought each other side when we are sick or hurt in a hospital, and we've made life better. [applause] just this past year because of your advocacy and the obama administration's actions, that began the case in over 90% of the hospitals in this country like rolling hills hospital in tennessee and washington hospital down the road in the park. in both of these when they turned away partners at the door and then they were reminded of the federal rules they have to of all the rest of the families and treen their staff. the rule has teeth into hospitals are being held accountable. [applause] when we year these words from a white house cabinet member: gay

rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights. to lgbt men and women worldwide: wherever you live and what ever your circumstances, please don't you are not alone. we most definitely made life better. and thank you, secretary of state hillary clinton. [applause] speefourteen secretary clinton. plus, they're has been added a presidential memorandum so there might be money on the table for some of these countries. the truth is we can appreciate both the progress that we have made and feel frustrated by the incomplete and sometimes slow pace of change. there is still much work ahead.

we know the truth in the old adage that when the people lead, the leaders will follow. creating change family, we are going to be called upon to lead a lot in this coming year. we will have to play both offense and defense this year with marriage in play here in maryland and in washington, new jersey, maine, minnesota and north carolina. we will be called to lead. [applause] in states across the country we must press forward on securing protections for people who experience discrimination because of their gender identity including michigan, new york and right here in maryland, we will be called to leave. [applause] in some states like oregon, hard but strategic and disciplined decisions have been made, to not

push for marriage and all the time is right to use our movement's resources well, and to win. the expressed leadership in doing so. [applause] many of you will be called to leave in your community on immigration reform, making schools a, fighting anti-affirmative action measures, and on economic justice transgendered rights. [applause] what's important to remember is that leading doesn't always have to mean winning. i know we won't win in all these places. but what i do know is that we are strong and determined and with perseverance like ours we cannot begin life for a long. we cannot stop until the abuses of the transgender immigrant

detainees stop. [applause] we cannot stop until our brothers and sisters who can now serve openly in the military can share their benefits with their spouses and until people can choose to serve. [cheering] we cannot be free if after 30 years of age we know more about prevention, we know more what treatment than ever before but infection rates for gay and bisexual men especially men of color are actually rising while funding and services are decreasing. [applause] progress for some is not progress for all and we will not

stop until we are all free. [applause] there are some challenges in our pursuit of freedom that are just beginning for us. challenges other movements have seen. one challenges that we have already won. you didn't get the memo? we have already won. 90% of voters already believe we have federal employment protections. and this includes lgbt people who in that surprised when they have no recourse. over the last 20 years we have been so successful as a movement when and implement protections in the cities and states across the country that now over 52% of people live in a jurisdiction with sexual orientation

protection and 44% live in a jurisdiction with gender identity protection and many more live and work in a place where they have protections through labor contracts or their corporate employment policies. what about people who live in states called employment projections or work for companies that don't include us in the policies? 90% of voters think that there's already federal employment projections. which makes it a bit of a challenge to mobilize them to fight for one. and why would they when we already have a lot except we don't. we don't have a lot yet. in order to defy gravity toomas fallout, we must make clear to the decision makers are were friends and family. many transgendered people go to work every day care fight,

terrified someone will find out who they are where they live. and we need a federal law to protect them our second challenge, well, marriage. marriage puts us between the rock of the limited and celebrated success, and the hard place of positive yet almost singular media attention. specifically now that we have overturned a "don't ask, don't tell" many now believe that our movement called macina were moved across the country that our movement is about one thing and one thing only, marriage. let's talk about marriage.

the richness of our family and how we create them whether we choose to get married or not, when our families or ignored or denied the very institution of marriage is weekend, not strengthened. when our lives are denied the institutions of marriage is weakened, and we will stop fighting until the choice to get married is the law of the land for everyone who wants it. [applause] but that is not all that we are fighting for. it isn't a movement for marriage only. [applause]

we are a movement for the full dignity of our lives, for a transformed society. the challenges with the movement is framed by the media were seen by others accept a single issue marriage only movement it limits what we can achieve. having the spot light towards marriage creates a lot of excitement and energy and direct much needed funding towards our movement for work on marriage. marriage is motivated of allies and captured the attention of people who were never paying attention before. we saw this in 2008. someday when we succeed in a nationwide recognition of our marriages, and we will, we will likely see that the engagement in our movement drops off severely. where we have achieved marriage

already, they're has been a significant drop in donations, attention and engagement for the movement organizations. some have even had to lay off staff while struggling to get attention for the other dairy pressing issues facing our community. we have learned that with a win we usually have to turn right around and defend the plan. we also know that people who are not included in that remain vulnerable to discrimination. we've seen this dynamic before in other movements. consider the women's movement in roe v wade. almost three years after the supreme court decision declaring a woman's reproductive decision are hers to make, women and men still fight every day to stop the erosion of reproductive health services for women. the lesson here is that we must

continue to build support for the games with their support of decision for legislative victories. the decision did something else the, too. it ended to the women's movement being seen as a single issue movement, abortion. over the last 40 years has been a challenge to get equal pay for equal work, to create appropriate and affordable child care in this country come to get full equality for one in. think about it. if we cannot choose to get married anywhere without limitations, if the marriage and once it was recognized as all states, where our aspirations be fulfilled? >> [inaudible conversations] [applause] would society be transformed so

that all of us, every single one of us live in dignity and full respect from cradle to grave? of course not. in the task force, we say we are more. the task force, we say we want more than marriage. there is no cingular solution to the many ways we experienced discrimination, violence and bigotry. the task force, we insist that immigration and housing and health care and fair wages and social security and any systemic sexism r. lgbt issued. [applause] now please don't hear me wrong,

i will fight like hell for marriage equality and i'm proud to be married to margaret. [applause] and within the existing structure of health benefits are provided in this country, if we don't overturn the so-called defensive marriage act and secure marriage across the country, we will hit a brick wall in the changes we seek for lgbt people and our families and immigration policy and social security benefits and the very economic underpinnings that give us security. we must overturn doma. [applause] so in this political moment while this movement is experiencing intensely focused attention on us because of

marriage, we must take advantage of this moment by pushing to make visible the full scope of the social change we seek. we in the movement must define the gravitational pull that frames a hours as a single issue movement. [applause] i know we can overcome these challenges with work i have seen us do it before. we have been at this a long time in the house force, and we know from experience that a win remains a win only if we sustain it and build on it and stifel the engage. in 2012, it will require a lot of political engagement. the sheer number of the pieces of state legislation and measures that will affect the lives of people and families this year is staggering. and with all of our collective

work, we can make progress. our work on these measures is important. but there is one issue we all must pay attention to this year. our opposition, those who do not believe in our full humanity or quality are on the attack. but mobilizing the right wing base to come out and vote on marriage isn't actually the trump card anymore. it's much deeper than that. it's a very devotee to cast a vote. [applause] they could deily our progress for years by focusing on something that our movement could easily mistake is not our issue. believe me it is our issue when we and our allies find ourselves

without access to the polls. [applause] 2012 promises to be a harder plainfield more than 2011 because the entire political playing field was under threat. there's a systematic effort in states across the country to take away the vote from people of color from students, the working poor and unemployed, people who lost their homes, young voters, people with disabilities and elderly. a plan to cut out the progressive voters from the process. this massive voter suppression is also having a devastating effect on the ability of transgendered people to vote. we are talking about executive orders in the 14 states and 20

new laws and will make it harder for 5 million people to vote in 2012. ben jealous, those of you last night heard some heartbreaking and infuriating stories about just that you it's one of the last desperate place by those who can no longer compete with the power of their ideas. voter suppression laws, some have taken it right of the jim crow playbook are a part of a series of strategies to take away the voting rights of millions to keep the decision making in the hands of the few. having lost ground on lgbt and racial justice and equality over the last 40 years. doing all we can to complicate the rules early you name it they will do it. as long as it disenfranchises

certain types of people. and so, we are called to lead and protect access to voting. this is in our self-interest and the interests of standing with our allies. we are people of color. we are students. we are transgendered, and we want to vote. [applause] let's look at where the voter suppression laws are being played out, where they are being put up to vote. first many of these have been implemented or are on the ballot. don't get me started. over two dozen bills or ballot measures will be in place in the

next two years including in michigan, new jersey, maine, minnesota, north carolina. some familiar? michigan, new jersey, maine, minnesota, north carolina. if we do not protect the right to vote, we will not win on immigration, we will not win on the nondiscrimination, we will not win on affirmative action, and we will not win on marriage. we must register voters. we must get the voters to the polls, trying to keep from the pole. in this coming election, we stand for ourselves by also standing for and with others. we stand for ourselves by occupying the voting booth.

[applause] yes, we have come to this again, to vote is an act of resistance. but it's also an act of insistence. we insist all potential voters have a choice. [applause] as people who know more and our fair share about mistreatment in the quality and fairness, this is our fight. in this room of the best activists i know, i say occupied the vote. both. to others to the polls if you can't vote yet. but speak out against voter suppression. and if you get to the ballot box and you are turned away for any

reason i want you to cast a provisional balad to document your story, post it on facebook and contact a civil rights division of the u.s. department of justice. let people know that this is happening. [applause] to give you a little help in this acted insistence, we are programmed with rock the vote and is of a voter registration right here in the exhibit hall. and you can text vote 2012 to 69866 to pledge to vote and get more information about the voter registration. [applause] i see that we have some voters here. next year the task force will turn 40-years-old

[applause] we also have a lot of fun to show for it. in 1973 the tax has been building power, taking action and creating change. we have been defying gravity. when you become an organization that turns 40 it makes you think. just as when we open our doors we must be fearless and driven by innovation and the power to envision what some think is impossible. 40 years ago we thought was impossible is now a day to day reali. i can't wait to see what 40 years from now looks like. and that's what this has always been about. this is what creating change has always been about. learning, innovating, evolving strategies to win. the next big ideas, bringing people together to push the boundaries of what is possible

and to move us all forward. what does define gravity look like? to fingar devotee means creating space or breaking new ground for others. it looks like a gay man volunteering on a pro-choice campaign. it looks like an immigrant who is hiv-positive telling his story of detention mistreatment despite risking deportation because people held an immigration custody deserve dignity, respect and access to medication. [applause] to find gravity looks like a girl scouts in my home state of colorado. standing up for. [applause]

i know what your favorite cookies or the line joining fannin mant. by some cookies. [applause] defying gravity looks like a trans high school student holding her head high as she walked through the hallways pride and confidence no matter what others think or say. [applause] defying gravity means doing something despite year, criticism or negative consequences it is digging deep to tap into our own strength to resist that which is to bring us down. it looks like the ideas and the innovation and the passion in

this room. [applause] this is our time. this is our time to defy gravity and create change. i can't wait to see what comes out of this weekend. thank you and have a fantastic conference. [applause] ♪

mr. president, mr. speaker, members of the legislature, tribal chairman, distinguished guests, friends and fellow nebraskan is, i am pleased to be here at the beginning of the 2012 legislative session. and i want to acknowledge and recognize that line of your members will be leaving legislature that the end of this year. the input of your outstanding speaker a steady and rock-solid appropriations committee chairman a superb revenue share, a tenacious transportation committee share and effective natural resources committee chairman and excellent banking

committee chairman, a fighter for western nebraska, an advocate for children and families and a fiscal and social conservative. senators will become heineman howard and foltin, thank you for your service. individually and as a group you've done an outstanding job and nebraskans appreciate your service. [applause] i'm proud of the legislature and what we've accomplished together. i'm proud of our citizens for their input, there in sight and their leadership to read every day i'm proud to be the governor of this great state. as i enter my eighth year as the governor of nebraska i am more determined than ever before to keep nebraska moving forward and address the challenges of today. one of the most important challenges that we face is the

safety of children are part of nebraska's child welfare system. reforming nebraska's child welfare system is complicated and complex with no single simple solution. we didn't get into the situation overnight and we won't get out of it overnight. it was just a few years ago when the many never nebraskans were unhappy with and complaining about what was operating the system. the decision was made to reform the system and change the culture that was necessary to move forward. it hasn't been implemented as well as anyone would like. but i don't want to return to the practices of the past. i want us to do better in the future. and my stance is a view. this is a very difficult challenge because no single one entity of government is totally

in charge of the child welfare system. it involves local call enforcement, county attorneys, parents come guardians, the cost of volunteers, foster parents, the department of health and human services, providers, the courts, the legislature and many others. nebraska continues to place children into the child welfare system approximately two times the national average. we can and must do better than that. your health and human services committee is provided the state a series of recommendations to begin a conversation about how the courts, the legislature and the executive branch can work together to develop a more collaborative, a more coordinated and a more comprehensive approach to protecting nebraska's children. i've read the committee report several times. i am working with the leadership of your health and human services committee to develop a

common sense plan of action for the future, and i want to thank senator campbell and senator gloor for their vast commitment of time on this issue. i want to emphasize what i have said previously to the i have no intention of reinstating the lead agency model in the central, northern or western service areas. the focus must be to provide a more efficient delivery of services that helps our children. i support efforts to streamline the focus of the current child welfare system, and i have asked senator bashford and senator have leave to introduce legislation that transfers the management of the youth rehabilitation and treatment centers of kearney and geneva from the department of health and human services to the department of correctional services. this would create a safer treatment environment at these facilities for the youth and the staff. the transfer will also allow the

department of health and human services to put a greater focus on children impacted by the abuse and neglect. we are all in this together. and all of us have a responsibility to improve the system. the accountability starts with you and me to read together, we need to bring stability to nebraska's charnel welfare system. the focus should be on the future and on measurable results. another key issue that we face is the new federal health care law that raises taxes, cuts medicare and contains an enormous on funded medicaid mandates. because it is in the current law, our state is moving forward with the planning and designing of the state health insurance exchange. our state has been working hard for nearly two years to protect nebraska's interests, and i want to assure you of our citizens that nebraska will not default to the federal government regarding a health insurance exchange. however, it is important to recognize that the united states supreme court will decide whether this will or not by

june 29th of this year. in an unprecedented move, the supreme court will have three days of oral arguments on this issue in late march. the simple truth is it would be a costly mistake to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to begin implementing obamacare until the united states supreme court makes its decision. another critical issue is our proposal to merge the department of labor into the department of economic development. this is the opportunity for business, labour and state government to provide a more coordinated and an even greater focus on job creation, worker training and worker retraining. thank you, senator harms, senator mell cullerton of for

introducing this bill. most importantly we fought together to put nebraska in a strong and financial position. we is made difficult decisions for the good of our state. nebraska hasn't always been as well positioned as we are today. when the senators began their terms in january of 2005 and when i assume the office of governor that same months, the state had just experienced some very difficult economic times. taxes were too high, too many young people were leaving the state, and nebraska wasn't competitive nationally or globally for jobs. you and i worked in cooperation with our citizens and our business leaders to dramatically alter nebraska's economic position. working together, we passed the nebraska advantage and has been incredibly successful.

approximately to wondered 70 businesses have committed to invest more than $5.9 billion of our economy and to create more than 19,500 jobs here in nebraska. working together we passed the largest tax relief package in nebraska's history that repealed the estate tax, eliminating the marriage penalty and the income tax system, repealed the sales-tax on the construction labor and lower income taxes. we wisely built up our cash reserves. we work together to create the spending and to pass balanced budgets without raising taxes. we adopted a businesslike approach to agency budgets, encouraging them to save money and keep its, compared to the previous practice of spend it or lose it. state government began tightening its belt just like nebraska families and businesses were doing, and look at the

results. nebraska has the second lowest unemployment rate in america at 4.1%. according to forbes, nebraska is the eighth best state for business and careers. nebraska has the fourth largest agricultural economy in america. msm careers says nebraska is the third best state for job-seekers according to forbes, lincoln is one of america's safest cities, and it is the best city in america for new jobs. while omaha is the most affordable city in america and the fifth best city in america for young professionals. according to cnn monica papillion is the fifth best place in america to live. bloomberg business week identified arlington, nebraska as the second-best place in america to raise kids, because it is a midwestern farming community with top-notch

schools. think about that. that is nebraska. small town, save communities, good jobs, great schools, affordable homes, and an unmatched quality-of-life. whether it's arlington, wahoo, north late, kearney, grand island, your green a burden lincoln, omaha or sarpy county, nebraska communities are the american dream. we have faith and confidence and nebraska, the families and our communities. we believe in freedom dhaka hard work and self-sufficiency. we believe in providing every child the opportunity to receive a quality education. let me sing it again, nebraska has a hard working american families want, safe communities, good jobs, great schools, affordable neighborhoods and an unmatched quality-of-life.

america's elite cities are too expensive for middle class families. these cities have high taxes and burdensome regulations, both of which discourage job creation. today, technology connects us like never before, and now americans can live and work anywhere. this provides nebraska an opportunity for growth like we have never before seen to the americas kearney middle class families want to live in states like nebraska because we have career opportunities, short commute times, a lower cost of living and a sense of community. for the first time ever, nebraska kearney population growth exceeded the national average for two years in a row in 2009 and 2010, and in 2011, nebraska only narrowly missed a growing as rapidly as the national average. nebraska has economic and educational momentum. working with our citizens, we have developed a bold, innovative and strategic vision

to grow our economy and strengthen our education system. just last year we invested in the university of nebraska kearney innovative campus. we passed the talent and innovation initiative to continue improving nebraska kearney small was as an entrepreneurial environment. we've made exceptional progress during the past few years but we have more work to do. we've made exceptional progress the past few years but we have more work to do. according to the tax foundation rankings, in 2006, nebraska was one of the top ten highest tax states in america. nebraska and was 45th out of 50 states today we're 29. since 2006, nebraska has made a greater and more significant improvement in our tax climate than 48 other states.

that's good news, but we can do better than 29th. even without a healthy economy many of us the middle class families still struggle from paycheck to paycheck. we can help these families by changing debrowski kearney impacts to the tax structure and allowing them to keep more of the money they made. if you're adjusted gross income is more than $54,000, you are taxed at the scene marginal rate as warren buffett. it is unfair to middle class families. our hard-working taxpayers are tired of the government taking too much of their paycheck. in a 2011, nebraska net tax receipts grew by $349 million. the opportunity to provide tax relief for our tax payers is now. our hard-working, middle class taxpayers need more discretionary income to take care of their families and to

provide their kids with a good education. for the past few months, i've been working with senator cornett to develop a major tax relief initiative for nebraska kearney hard-working middle class families, and today senator cornett is introducing that bill. senator cornett, thank you. we are asking you to join us in providing tax relief for nebraska kearney middle class taxpayers. our proposal will worse rates and expands the brackets so that nebraska's the five hard-working taxpayers can keep more of their income. our proposal eliminates the inheritance tax. you've probably seen the recent headline in for this, nebraska is named as a state where not to die in 2012. even high tax states like massachusetts, new york and california don't have an inheritance tax. nebraska is one of the only eight states that as an

inheritance tax, and we need to change that. i know you will hear from county officials, but this is about good tax policy, and completing the elimination of the death tax our proposal reduces the corporate income-tax rate to help small business grow. our highest priority should be tax relief for nebraska kearney hard-working, middle class taxpayers. special-interest groups lord you can't afford tax relief because they want to take that money from our hard-working taxpayers come and spend it on their favorite projects. the question is tax relief for hard-working middle class nebraska taxpayers or more spending for special-interest groups? the choice for us is clear. i'm going to fight for nebraska kearney hard-working taxpayers because they need our help. for example, if you are a young family of four living and self omaha with an adjusted gross income of $3,000 sarpy $30,000,

with our proposal you will receive a 29.5% tax cut. if you're a single mom living in northeast lincoln with two kids with an adjusted gross income of $40,000, you will receive a 10.5% tax cut. if you are a hardworking middle class family of four living in bellevue, york, said the kearney, valentine alliance for columbus with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 you will receive a 10.9% tax cut. if you live in norfolk were grand island, and you're adjusted gross income is $100,000, your tax cut will be 7.2%. however, if you live in central omaha and you're adjusted gross income is $1 million, you will only receive a 2% tax cut.

the focus of this tax relief plan provides nebraska kearney hard-working middle class taxpayers the help they need. families have to tighten their belts and learn to do more with less. social government. this is about our future. this is our time, this is our moment in history. together we can make it happen. let's get to work. wahoo very much. [applause]

who was elected in 2008 after serving for 16 years as the state attorney general. he praises the citizens of his state for their action during the flooding and tornadoes of 2011. this is about 50 minutes. [applause] >> please be seated. ..

state officials, all the members of the general assembly, and members of my cabinet and my fellow missourians, it is an honor to be here this morning joined by missouri's outstanding first lady, gorganne nixon. ppla >> we're joined by members

of our family is and over theer last year many misery communities have braved unthinkable hard chips. been wars those they and joplin the toughest down onop god's green earth. time and again the people of ha missouri have met those challenges with the unwavering streaks.t of dume months ago on the first day of school i net a remarkable young man named clinton. he is a senior at joplin high school and an excellent student. he hopes someday to create new vaccines. it will have a special

meeting this year as it will for so many. because on graduation day lastu year may 22, 541 pm pm, joplin was hit by the fed deadliest tornado of modern history. winds clocked a 200 miles per hour tore a swath 1 mile wide and 6 miles long through the community and stood there surrounded by s smashed closet -- cars and shattered homes and nothing but devastation as far as the eye could see. 19 minutes the twister left thousands homeless, 7,000 homes and hundreds of businesses were damaged or destroyed, more than 1,000 injured. 161 lost their lives. said tornado leveled the home and both parents were killed. quentin was long through the air and found blocks away

face down in the ditch with a shattered spine, a fracturedit skull, the lefte leg and torn to shreds and spent five 1/2 weeks in the hospital. after he left he had this to say.od i used to take each day like it was given to me but it is n not to. you have to pray for the next one. don'ut give up hope always prayed to get stronger each day.o if you are in physicale therapy and they tell you to walk, always take the extra step. always take the and fight have shown the world but the spirit of joplin is unreadable. people of missouri, extra step.l sister, grace. [applause]

[applause] mother nature hit us hard in 2011, starting with tornadoes on new year's eve, a blizzard that shut down a life-70 from st. louis to kansas city, record flooding and drought in the boat heeled and northwest missouri. but some have called the intentional breach of a call the blowing up of the levee at bird's point by the corps of engineers. more tornadoes on good friday, another tornado in sedalia and

of course the ef-5 tornado in joplin and the surrounding area. through every natural disaster that they endured, the people of missouri rely on our brave men and women in uniform. our first responders, our law enforcement community, and all who have answered the call to military service. in the aftermath of joplin alone, men and women from more than 400 public safety agencies rushed to help. certain special people have a spirit that compels them to run toward trouble, not away from it. and missouri state trooper fred guthrie, jr. was one of them. in 2007, trooper guthrie earned our state's highest law enforcement honor, the missouri woman of valor for saving a woman during a violent storm on smith the lake. it was the same selfless spirit

that compel the trooper guthrie to brave the swift currents of the missouri river which claimed his life in august. fred guthrie was a hero who died as he lived, protecting others. even as we mourn our loss, we are lifted up by his courage. missouri is a better place for his service. please join me in the thinking of the family of the trooper fred guthrie, his wife, teresa and their three children come amber, dillinger and cody and all of our men and women in uniform. [applause]

>> quinton anderson, fred guthrie, our men and women in uniform, they have showed us that the face of courage. they have shown us what it means to be strong in the toughest times. what it means to take that extra step. and we've seen our share of tough times these past few years. it began in 2008 when our nation was hit with the most severe economic recession of our lifetime. in the last six months of 2008 we lost more than 55,000 jobs. in december of 2008, misery salles more than 100 mass layoffs, the most ever since we began tracking that number. but we didn't make excuses.

we didn't wait around for help. missourians stood up and got to work, showed our strength. ..

or what party we belong to, unlike washington, we have kept a laserlike focus on job creation. unlike washington, we've maintained our strict fiscal discipline in our state budget and we done it without raising taxes. [applause] now commitment to balancing a budget, holding the line on taxes and are focused on creating jobs is pay enough. the national recession brought sharp job losses in 2008 and 2009, but we've turned a corner. today was reported that our unemployment rates in missouri

is now at its lowest level in three years. [applause] missouri farms and businesses there should be murdered ron the globe, generating billions of dollars of economic data and thousands of jobs here at home. and together, we are putting the american not all industry backed to life right here in the show me state. [applause] that there is more work to do. so tonight, i've only had a specific strategy to create more jobs for our economy. that strategy builds on the granite foundation of fiscal foundation that we have made here in missouri by about the budget, holding the line on taxes, making government mauler, smarter and more efficient.

the national recession in the gridlock in washington created tough budget times for other states. some states simply chose to ignore the problem is that more money they had been wracked up huge deficits. not here in missouri. since i'd taken off have cut government spending by $1.6 billion. but the balanced budget act is on tonight, i will have reduced the government payroll by 4100 positions. the state work force is this ballasted and in 15 years. those decisions first half, but necessary. other states have shown that this will discipline. more than 30 states have raised taxes, including kansas and illinois. but we have not because we know that missouri families can't afford a tax increase. in fact, to help for small

business in or out, we have begun to phase out the attacks on thousands of missouri business. that means more money to the bottom line and more jobs for missouri workers. but we haven't just major government smaller, we are also making your government starter. by 2015, the department of transportation will cut $512 million in overhead and administrative costs and put that money where it belongs, building roads and bridges in the show me state. the consolidated offices, put article services online, including teacher certification come insurance licenses and ged transcripts. it eliminated paperwork because of our focus on fiscal responsibility and efficient we come in missouri is one of the few states of the aaa credit rating from all three rating

agencies. kansas can't say that. you can mark, illinois, kentucky, nebraska, tennessee, even new jersey got downgraded by all three credit rating agencies in the last year. and even our federal government got downgraded by standard & poor's. note that says about us here in missouri? went on to manage our money, better than our neighboring state and much better than washington. [applause] now the aaa credit rating since the tax payers millions of signals that there is a smart place to invest. and while we're talking about government efficiency, let me make it related point. for the past three years, i have

called for comprehensive tax credit reform. some of you in this round stood with me on this issue, others did not. the consequences of this inaction are clear. over the past four years, more than $2 billion in state tax credits have been retained. no effective tax credits are used to create jobs and grow our economy, the tax cut is not parting from the syrians must be retooled and reformed. we have no dollar spent on tax credit for dollars we can't invest in other critical priorities. once again, i ask you to pass comprehensive taxpayer refund to get this bending under control. [applause]

so holding the line on taxes, maintaining the aaa credit rating are all signs that missouri is headed in the right direction. the u.s. chamber of commerce recently called mystery of it us as one of the top 10 business and my states and nation because of our low taxes and fiscal discipline. you know we also have a very safe workforce. it's worth mentioning. it's another reason we are poised for growth. reducing on-the-job injuries as a point of pride for missouri workers and employers. since i became your governor, workers injury claims have gone town every year and are now almost 50% lower than they were two decades ago. that means real cost savings for employers, the cost of workers compensation has come down each year i have been your governor. in fact, businesses are painless now for workers comp coverage than they were back in 1994.

here in missouri we are standing to protect worker safety and workers rights. [applause] you now, we are now a strong and safe workforce makes a strong economy. now, our low track sister a strong workforce is well-positioned to keep job creation. to keep our economy growing, we must build on the strengths. that is utter mystery work strategy will do. so with your help, we will one, grow more auto supplier jobs, too, fell more missouri made good overs he is.

really, to prepare my workers for high-tech careers. for, train and hire more veterans. five, jumpstart innovation in science and technology, six target high-growth industries and seven, creates jobs in rural communities. let's start with the automotive industry. missouri has always been an automotive day. it's who we are. it is in our blood. for decades the american adult industry had been in decline. when i took office in 2009, thousands of job or at risk. we couldn't sit by and watched as jobs go to other states or countries. we didn't give up on the american not all industry. we believed in our heart that american workers would note automobiles that could compete in a world economy, but it is up to us to make sure that they were built right here in the show me state. so i went to detroit.

i met with the heads of gm and ford and after those meetings, we took. i called the general assembly into special section. folks from across ours day, urban and rural, business and labor, democrats and republicans came to work with us to pass the missouri manufacturing jobs back. you know some thing, it has paid off. [applause] last october, ford announced that it will invest $1.1 billion at lake claycomo. [applause] that is billion with a b. to put it in perspective, that's a bigger capital investment in

building arrowhead and the stadiums combined. ford is going to produce a transit van to the united states through it until now it's only been produced overseas. because of our work, the vehicle will now be built with pride now in the show me state. no more outsourcing here we are bringing jobs back to missouri. [cheers and applause] now in addition to the transit for divac second trip to produce more at 450 pickup trucks. on top of the existing dirty hundred jobs resaved. just two weeks after the ford announcement, gm announced it would invest $380 million to

build its new chevy colorado that would so. and add a second shift to existing vehicles. that is another 1660 new job right here in missouri. [applause] you now, i wish all of you could've been with me when they make those announced that. after all, those workers have been through comment to see the look of most workers size, to know it can put food on the table in clothes on their kids backs, to know they can pay the mortgage and the electric bill, to know that when the collection

plate comes past on sunday they can put something in it, folks, what we do here really matters, really matters. we do to people's work and it really matters. we are certainly not going to stop now. last week i is back again in detroit, sitting face-to-face with senior executives at ford, gm some of the world's largest auto suppliers. i was there for one reason, to give our post players to invest in the show me state whether they're making seats are steering wheels and axles airbags, suppliers to bring more jobs to missouri as part of our work strategy i called on the legislature once again he stand with me and fight for the automotive industry. we must pass legislation to help auto suppliers create new jobs across missouri. [applause]

and make no mistake, just like e4, competition is going to be stiff. but to certain taxpayers, let me say this. we want with ford. we want with gm. we are going to win with the auto suppliers and creative in more jobs. let get it done. [applause] now the next component of mysteries to some more missouri made good overs v. to create more jobs here at home. it is clear the world wants that missouri has god. cotton and chemicals, soybeans and semiconductors, f. 150-cent f-15s. when i talk about selling missouri make his overs he, i

don't mean just the fortune 500 that have an established global footprint. competing globally is just as important for small businesses and family farms in every corner of our stay. one company headed the curve is for stealing nursery in a very. 63 years ago in the backyard of dr. forrest keeling. today the nursery grows more than 250 types of trees, shrubs, grasses and sells products around the world. they have patents pending in more than 50 countries. master had the pleasure of visiting a small hometown business that's winning in the global economy. i advise his wife judy for all missouri exporters and their lovely daughter can to represent what we want to do to sell to the world.

[applause] now because of companies like it's coming missouri exports were up by $1.2 billion in the first three quarters of 2011. and i was on top of our outstanding 35% growth in 2010. so we're going to keep this momentum building by creating a one-stop shop to help missouri businesses and farms find customers and new international market. in this new trade us and so be opening new in southeast asia and south america will take that aid in missouri bred global. [applause] last violetta delegation within 60 missouri agriculture leaders to china where we signed an

agreement $4.6 billion worth of missouri products. [applause] because i don't know about you, but i think it is just about time that the guy in beijing walked into his little store and saw "made in america" stickers on the items he's buying from the show me state. [applause] now, another part of our missouri work strategy is global trading in a global economy with constant evolving technology. training and education can never stop. we've established a higher education programs are caring for missourians, training for tomorrow come under strain

initiative to prepare thousands more for reporting careers that exist today. and last year, we'll see increased messieurs as investment or customize training by 50%. that record investment allowed us to train nearly dirty 7000 workers who were on the job right now at 300 missouri businesses. as part of our work strategy to budget i present tonight continues her record investment for a second year, especially in areas critical to manufacturing. absolutely. [applause] one of the growing companies we felt is meramec electric employees which employs in crawford county. our customized training program held meramec reduce production costs by 30%, but more competitive global market and

create 25 new jobs last year on behalf of all of our innovative businesses, please welcome meramec ceo, nick sanazaro and translator eeo, carolyn sanzaro from missouri. [applause] now let's talk for a second about our military adventures. honoring employ military veterans as a key element of our missouri work strategy. during my last visit to an extent, i was talking with a group of soldiers who were about to go out on patrol. they said we are suiting up. i asked one of the soldiers what he was most worried about. his answer really surprised me. he didn't say he was most worried about facing the enemy that may.

he looked me straight in the eyes and said governor, what i am worried about is whether there is going to be a job for me when i get home. folks, our job is to make sure the answer to that question is a resounding yes. [applause] every veteran who needs a job should be able to get one. 2009 we pass legislation to begin phasing out state taxes on military retirement income. that law is a strong signal that we want military veterans to move to missouri, to work in missouri and make missouri their home. in 2010 we launched show me here is from asking missouri employers for military veterans at the front of the line when

they hire for new jobs. more than 1700 employers have signed up to be part of that effort already. tonight i am proud to report their show me here is program has crossed the marker and output than 1000 veterans back to work right here in missouri. [applause] the missouri work strategy will expand the mission of show me he rose to improve on-the-job train job trevor nasher mccart serving army veterans of the missouri service and will continue to work tirelessly to create job opportunities for every veteran in our state. not th e next pillar of missouri works is to